Canada, eh?

This week was a big milestone in Ella's traveling adventures. On August 26th, Mom, Dad and Ella left for Calgary, Canada. Challenge 1 - packing. Thanks to the ability to check a stroller and car seat at the gate, as well as Ella getting her own carry on bag, we managed to get everything else into two huge checked bags. But did we forget anything, and were the bags under 50 lbs each? The answers were No and Yes (by 2 pounds), respectively. Challenge complete. Challenge 2 - the flight. Nervous parents, we sat down with Ella in a row to ourselves for Ella's first flight. Toys, binky, and a bottle were all in hand. But as usual, Ella rose to the occasion. Ella was transfixed as she watched all the passengers board. She made no fuss on the takeoff, and quickly went to sleep. What an awesome baby!

The trip was great. We landed late Wednesday night, passed through a lengthy customs line, Ella babbled that we weren't carrying any fruits or plants. We drove straight to the hotel and went to bed. Thursday morning we let Ella sleep in to catch up from the midnight awakening. Once we finally headed outside, it was Calgary's hottest day of the year (that meant 85 degrees Fahrenheit). It was a perfect day though. After strolling around our hotel, we went to the Calgary zoo. It was on par with St. Louis zoo, but not as free (meaning $30 a person). Ella's favorite animal was the giraffe, just like Mom. Dinner that night was at the Broken Plate, a Greek restaurant. No plates were broken by Ella, so another success. On Friday morning, we grabbed a cup of local Joe and walked Stephens Avenue, the shopping and restaurant pedestrian way. On the way back, Dad got to take the 'Plus 15' - a totally enclosed bridge and tunnel system that connects every skyscraper in downtown Calgary, covering 10 miles (although we only walked less than 1). For the afternoon, the Body Works exhibit was showing at the science center, so we explored the creepy and weird, yet educational, exhibit. With some time left in the afternoon, Tim went for a jog along the Bow river while Ella and Mom chilled at the hotel. For dinner, we attempted a meal at The Keg, the restaurant attached to our hotel. This was Ella's one weak moment, which resulted in a break down at the restaurant which quickly sent us with to-go orders back to the room.

Saturday was the most adventurous day. An hour and half north of Calgary was Banff, a national park at the tip of the Rockies. The drive up was scenic, which led us to a sleepy little ski town just inside the park. Here we took a Gondola ride to the top of the nearest peak. The view was beautiful, but the weather was a little cold, even for the bundled up Ella, so we did not linger for long. We decided to explore deeper into the park, and drove to Lake Louise, a picture perfect, emerald-colored, mountain lake. Mom was on the lookout for Moose the entire time, but none were spotted. After several small hikes, walking trails and pit stops, we headed back to the hotel. Exhausted, we ordered pizza and went to bed.

Sunday was a challenge for a different reason. Tim was staying in Calgary for work, so single mom Stef had to manage clearing customs, a layover in Dallas, and a huge suitcase, all with Ella. Stef did a splendid job, and Mom and Ella made it home safe. Dad returned two days later, and the Jerry family was reunited with the newest little international traveler added to the travel logs.

-Tim